Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Feb 19: The Jammuites have not to wait any long more now for construction of much talked about Mubarak Mandi -Bahu Fort Cable Car project as Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah is going to lay its foundation on February 24.
This information was provided in State Legislative Assembly here, today by Minister of Tourism, Ghulam Ahmed Mir while speaking on the annual grants of his Ministry in the House today.
Appreciating the concern shown by members on this issue, the Minister said the decks have been cleared for this project after seeking environment clearance and removing other impediments, the Chief Minister will lay the foundation stone of the project on February 24.
This project will also boost promotion of tourism in the region, he added.
Candidly admitting that the two rope way projects were sanctioned at the same time for State one for Makdoom Sahib, Srinagar and another for Bahu Fort Jammu but the later could not be taken up in hand due to various impediments.
Maintaining that tourism being one of the important sectors in the State on which its economy is dependent, he said it is fourth vital sector which is providing employment to the people in the State and every section of the society is linked to tourism directly or indirectly.
He said unfortunately the tourism sector received a great setback due to turmoil but during last five years many steps were taken by the Government to put the sector back on track.
He said in 2008 only 40,000 tourists visited Kashmir when this number touched 12 lakh last year. This was despite the Uttarakhand tragedy and situation in the State during February -March last year, he added.
Taking on Peerzada Mansoor of PDP, who earlier had accused the Minster of visiting foreign countries for tourism promotion instead of concentrating on domestic tourism, Mir said he visited every State of India along with his team last year to motivate domestic tourists to visit J&K.
He said the Department’s target was that the figure will surpass 15 lakh but it received a setback due to Uttarakhand tragedy and situation in the State during February and March last year.
Mir said that 1.10 crore tourists visited the State last year and 98 percent of it were domestic tourists. He said 94 lakh pilgrims visited Mata Vaishno Devi last year while 3.5 lakh pilgrims visited holy cave of Amarnath and 1.37 lakh visited Ladakh.
The Minister said that the State could so far attract 2.2 percent total market of domestic tourism and the Department has a target of five percent. This will be only possible after we are able to control the internal situation and create infrastructure for the tourists side by side.
Mir also hailed Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and AICC chief, Sonia Gandhi for giving liberal assistance to the State in tourism sector. He said there were two Development Authorities earlier whose number has reached 22 now.
The Minister said for promotion of tourism in Jammu no one could earlier have imagined beyond Patnitop but now people talk about Kishtwar, Bani, Basholi, Rajouri, Surinsar , Mansar etc so far as promotion of tourist resorts in Jammu is concerned.
He said as tourism helps in providing employment to people, the Department will train 25000 youth in the State in tourism trade and 5000 youth have been so far provided training in this regard.
He said with the four lanning of Jammu –Srinagar National Highway and construction of Railway line to Valley tourism spots will be developed enroute.
He said a water park on Jammu and Katra route will be constructed and thrust will be given promotion of border tourism in the State also.
He said golf courses were constructed in the State and “though Sharjah is considered one of the best golf courses “but when I saw it I could not find it five percent equal to Golf Course of Pahalgam’’.
He said Rs 11.55 crore were given for beautification of Eidgah to make it a heritage place.
The Tourism Minister said that Government is encouraging Private Public Partnership (PPP) under the tourism sector adding that in this regard incentive rules have been modified. He said Rs. one crore outright capital subsidy on setting up of prestigious tourism unit involving cost more than Rs. 25 crore would be given to the intending stakeholders. He said a subsidy upto Rs. 7 lakh would be provided to those who intends to purchase adventure equipments and tourist coaches while Rs. 2 lakh for conversion of houses into paying guest houses.
Mir said so far Rs. 409.48 crore have been sanctioned by the Centre for the construction and development of 87 tourism projects in the State against which Rs. 223.70 crore have been released by the Centre and work on these projects is at different stages of completion.
The Minister said that exploring Golf Tourism Potential in the State is on focussed attention of the Government adding that it is for the first in the history of J&K that Golf Development Authority was created to promote this game in the State. He said development of Pahalgam and 1st Phase at Sidhra Golf Courses have been completed whereas the Gulmarg Golf Course has been upgraded. In addition work on development of Leh Golf Course is in full swing and Kashmir Golf Course is being revamped for resuming Golf activities.
The Minister said that Kungdoori-Marysholder Ski Chair Lift Gulmarg and Makdoom Sahib Chair Car Project have already been commissioned adding that Cable Car Corporation has earned revenue Rs. 35.84 crore during last 10 months of current fiscal by Gandola riding at Gulmarg. He said Government is also considering laying of Cable Car at the shrine of Hazrat Zainuddin Wali at Aishmuqam.
The Minister said that JKTDC has earned Rs. 36.42 crore during last fiscal and Rs. 39 crore is expected to earn by the corporation during this financial year. He said reconstruction of Pahalgam Club building as convention complex is in advance stage of completion while as re-construction of Budshah Hotel has been completed and construction work on budgeted hotels at Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Yousmarg, Cheshmashahi are under construction.
Later, the members, who moved the Cut Motions on the grants, withdrew after the satisfactory reply from the Minister and the House passed the Grants by a voice vote.
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